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Tim Walz
Governor of Minnesota since 2019 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Timothy James Walz (/wɔːlz/ WAWLZ; born April 6, 1964) is an American politician, former U.S. Army non-commissioned officer, and retired educator who has served since 2019 as the 41st governor of Minnesota. A member of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he was a member of the United States House of Representatives representing Minnesota's 1st congressional district from 2007 to 2019.
Tim Walz | |
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![]() Walz in 2024 | |
41st Governor of Minnesota | |
Assumed office January 7, 2019 | |
Lieutenant | Peggy Flanagan |
Preceded by | Mark Dayton |
Ranking Member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee | |
In office January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019 | |
Preceded by | Mark Takano (acting) |
Succeeded by | Phil Roe |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota's 1st district | |
In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2019 | |
Preceded by | Gil Gutknecht |
Succeeded by | Jim Hagedorn |
Personal details | |
Born | Timothy James Walz (1964-04-06) April 6, 1964 (age 60) West Point, Nebraska, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse |
Gwen Whipple (m. 1994) |
Children | 2 |
Residence | Governor's Residence |
Education | Chadron State College (BS) Minnesota State University, Mankato (MS) |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch/service | |
Years of service | 1981–2005 |
Highest rank | Command Sergeant Major |
Unit | 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery Regiment[1] |
Awards | |
Tim Walz ahead of oral arguments in the Supreme Court Janus v. AFSCME case Recorded February 26, 2018 | |
Born in West Point, Nebraska, Walz was a member of the Army National Guard, and worked in agriculture, manufacturing, and teaching after high school.[2] He later graduated from Chadron State College and Minnesota State University, Mankato. He moved to Minnesota in 1996. Before running for Congress in 2006, he served for 24 years in the Army National Guard and as a social studies teacher in the Mankato school district.[3] He was elected to the United States House of Representatives for Minnesota's 1st congressional district in 2006, defeating six-term Republican incumbent Gil Gutknecht. He was reelected five times, retiring in 2019 after being elected governor. Walz represented a large, mostly rural section of southern Minnesota situated along the border with Iowa.
Walz was elected governor on November 6, 2018, defeating the Republican nominee, Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson.[4] He was reelected in the 2022 Minnesota gubernatorial election, defeating Republican nominee Scott Jensen.[5] Press reports have mentioned Walz as a possible running mate for Kamala Harris in her 2024 presidential campaign.[6]